The European Union has invited Kofi Annan as a special guest to its summit next Friday to demonstrate support for the U.N. secretary-general amid a campaign in the United States to force him out. A Dutch EU presidency spokesman confirmed the 25-nation bloc's invitation but declined comment on the political message. However an EU diplomat said: "The intention is for the EU as a whole to give clear public support to the secretary-general. The surprise move was decided after the head of a U.S. congressional panel investigating alleged corruption in the United Nations oil-for-food program in Iraq, Republican Senator Norman Coleman, last week called for Annan to resign.